Senior Science Society

For the third and last meeting of the term, Mr. Crews was asked to address the Society on a subject of his own choice. Although he never gave his talk a name, it was concerned with his own war experiences and with the quality of courage; it was a striking address, and it left a strong impression on many of us. May we, also, wish Mr. Crews well in his new appointment.

As always our thanks are due to the kitchen staff, who ensured the success of our meetings in the usual way.

A.H.C.

THE SENIOR SCIENCE SOCIETY

OFFICERS (Christmas Term, 1958) : President: MR. P. L. HARRIS, M.A. Hon. Secretary: D. N. L. BERESFORD. Hon. Treasurer: D. E. RAYNER.

HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES:

The Grove: P. A. CROSSLEY. The Rise: T. E. H. SABBEN-CLARE.

The Manor: A. N. P. BtrrLAND. School House: R. YUNIEANDHU.

Queen's: P. J. BURTON. Temple: R. E. CROWE.

As is customary at the start of a School year, the Senior Science Society held an open meeting in Big Hall, when three films were shown. The first, "God of the Atom", traced the progress of research into nuclear fission and showed the effects of the earlier American atomic bomb tests. "The Rival World" gave an interesting survey of the methods now being used by man to control the effects of tropical insects. The third film, "Plastics", described the processes undergone in the formation of plastics, explaining the differences made in manufacture to produce rigid and pliable varieties.

The Society held its first closed meeting of the term on 11th October, and two members of the Upper Sixth gave talks. R. E. Crowe lectured on Aircraft Engines, outlining the main forms in the two categories of internal combustion and gas turbine engines. T. E. H. Sabben-Clare talked to the Society on Guided Missiles, and in a very absorbing lecture combined knowledge and humour with great success. He gave brief descriptions of the form, power and guidance of the missiles.

At the next meeting, on 25th October, we were very pleased to welcome Dr. Douglas, of Leeds University, who talked to us on "Electronic Computation". Dr. Douglas traced the history of computors (aids for the evaluation of mathematical functions) from the early 18th century and then talked in some detail about the modern computor, the basic electronic unit of which is the bistable valve circuit or "flip-flop". The lecture was illustrated by actual apparatus and by lantern slides.